San Anselmo's Zerbe ready to tackle another Tamalpa Headlands 50K

This spring, in his fourth year at Drake, he took a girls varsity team that hadn't won a single league game since the lacrosse program began in 2002 to an 8-9 record and was named the school's coach of the year.

"With so much emphasis on winning or being the best, I appreciate that John focuses not on winning, but on teaching," said his wife Barbara. "He emphasizes working as a team with all players and coaches. This seems to be how he approaches life in general, including running."

In 2005, Zerbe, then just an occasional jogger, decided to enter the Big Sur Marathon. He found the experience exhilarating.

"I got my first runner's high at Big Sur," he said. "I felt great. The race inspired me to get into my best possible shape and to run more, and longer, races."

That summer, he made Headlands his first ultra, finishing 34th in five hours, 13 minutes.

"That last climb out of Tennessee Valley (the Headlands course has since changed) was really tough," Zerbe said. "But it's funny how quickly you forget the pain."

He clearly did soon forget. Later in 2005, Zerbe ran the Helen Klein 50-miler, followed by the Quadruple Dipsea. Zerbe's resume now includes 35 ultras, seven of them 100-milers. Since he cross trains by swimming and biking, Zerbe has also done the prestigious Hawaii Ironman and several shorter triathlons. He's proud to have finished every race he started.

"For me, it's not about time," Zerbe said. "I love everything that goes into an ultramarathon. There's a special camaraderie among the runners, even with the volunteers. I always give a pat of encouragement to everyone passing me, or I pass. I know how hard they all are working. You'd get in trouble if you tried that in shorter races."

Zerbe's enthusiasm is infectious.

"I've been running with John for about 4 years now," said Irving Garcia Jr., who works with Zerbe at San Francisco's juvenile hall. Zerbe has been a correctional officer there 12 years, seven in the maximum security unit.

"He introduced me to the beautiful trail runs of the Marin Headlands and Mount Tam where he challenged me beyond anything and everything that I believed I could possibly run. He talked me into running my first ultra, the Quad Dipsea, which I still can't believe I signed up for. He's an unbelievable athlete, runner, motivator and person."

The Zerbes and their three children — John, in college, and Claire and Vaughan, both now at Drake — moved to Marin in 2008. All have run the Dipsea Race and, this fall, John, Barbara and Claire are running the Quad. Zerbe logs some of his 60-70 weekly miles from work in San Francisco and the rest from home, with favored routes over Bald Hill and a loop through Sorich Park.

Zerbe is aware of knee, hip, joint and other problems associated with running so many long distance races, and talks often about the issue. But he remains dedicated and optimistic.

"I guess I've been lucky that my body has held up," he said. "I want to keep running for as long as I can."

Barry Spitz is the author of 'Dipsea: The Greatest Race.' Email him at bzspitz@aol.com.

TAMALPA HEADLANDS 50K

 The race, first run in 1998, takes place Aug. 24. All 200 entry slots are filled, but spectators are welcome. The race begins at 8 a.m. at Santos Meadow, off the road between Muir Woods and Muir Beach. The all-trail course goes north to Stinson Beach, then south to Rodeo Beach before returning to Santos Meadow. There is a 10-hour time limit. Only one runner has ever broken four hours in the race — Dave Mackey at 3:49 in 2005 — and only two women, Kami Semick and Julie Udchachon, have bettered five hours.